Refrigerator and control method thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and a control method thereof. The present invention provides a refrigerator, comprising: a storage compartment; a refrigeration air passage configured to supply refrigeration air and comprising one or more refrigeration air outlets connected with the storage compartment such that a part or all of the refrigeration air in the refrigeration air passage is blown to the storage compartment via the one or more refrigeration air outlets; and a local air passage configured to receive refrigeration air from the refrigeration air passage and blow the received refrigeration air to a local area of the storage compartment in a concentrated manner. In addition, this invention also provides a control method of a refrigerator.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 National Phase conversionof International (PCT) Patent Application No. PCT/CN2016/086187, filedon Jun. 17, 2016, which claims benefit of Chinese patent application201510531619.X filed on Aug. 26, 2015, the disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein. The PCT International PatentApplication was filed and published in Chinese.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to the field of freezing andrefrigeration technologies, and more particularly, to a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND

Air-cooled refrigerators can maintain the freshness of food, extend foodstorage time and improve food safety, so they become essential homeappliances. However, in current air-cooled refrigerators, usually theair supply passage is arranged at the rear part of a storagecompartment. After cooled air is blown, it sinks. As a result, thetemperature at the front part of the storage compartment is relativelyhigh, while the temperature at the rear part thereof is relatively low,causing uneven temperatures. The front part of the storage compartmentis close to the door and heat leak can easily occur. Accordingly, thetemperature at the front part of the storage compartment will be evenhigher, which is unfavorable for storing food. In particular, forarticles requiring quick refrigeration, such as beverages or watermelons just bought, existing refrigerators need a long time to allowthese articles to reach a user-desired temperature, so that users cannotenjoy these articles in time.

SUMMARY

A first aspect of this invention aims to overcome at least one defect ofexisting refrigerators, and provides a novel refrigerator. Therefrigerator can quickly cool some articles put therein and quicklyallow them to reach a user-desired temperature.

An object of a second aspect of this invention is to provide a controlmethod of a refrigerator.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a refrigerator, comprising: a storage compartment; arefrigeration air passage configured to supply refrigeration air andcomprising one or more refrigeration air outlets connected with thestorage compartment such that a part or all of the refrigeration air inthe refrigeration air passage is blown to the storage compartment viathe one or more refrigeration air outlets; and a local air passageconfigured to receive refrigeration air from the refrigeration airpassage and blow the received refrigeration air to a local area of thestorage compartment in a concentrated manner.

Optionally, the refrigerator further comprises an air passage switchingdevice configured to controllably close or open an air path between anair inlet of the refrigeration air passage and the local air passage andan air path between the air inlet of the refrigeration air passage andthe one or more refrigeration air outlets, such that when the air pathbetween the air inlet of the refrigeration air passage and the one ormore refrigeration air outlets is closed, all the refrigeration airentering the refrigeration air passage is supplied to the local area viathe local air passage.

Optionally, the refrigerator further comprises a cooling chamberprovided with an air outlet connected with the refrigeration airpassage; a cooling device provided in the cooling chamber to cool theair passing the cooling chamber; a blower provided at the air outlet ofthe cooling chamber; and a return air passage connecting a lower spaceof the storage compartment and the cooling chamber, such that a part orall of the air in the storage compartment enters the cooling chamber viathe return air passage and enters the refrigeration air passage afterbeing cooled by the cooling device.

Optionally, the refrigerator further comprises another storagecompartment; another refrigeration air passage connecting the air outletof the cooling chamber and the another storage compartment; and anotherreturn air passage connecting the another storage compartment and thecooling chamber, wherein the air passage switching device is furtherconfigured to controllably close or open the another refrigeration airpassage.

Optionally, the refrigeration air passage comprises a generalrefrigeration air passage and connects a first branch between thegeneral refrigeration air passage and the one or more refrigeration airoutlets and a second branch between the general refrigeration airpassage and the local air passage.

Optionally, the air passage switching device comprises: a movable airsupply hood provided at an outer side of the air outlet of the coolingchamber and configured to provide an opening allowing refrigeration airto flow into the refrigeration air passage when closing the air outletof the cooling chamber; a first air door configured to controllablyclose or open the general refrigeration air passage; and a second airdoor configured to controllably open the second branch when closing thefirst branch and open the first branch when closing the second branch.

Optionally, the local air passage comprises: a top air passage providedat a top wall of the storage compartment and connected with therefrigeration air passage to receive refrigeration air therefrom; and anair guiding pipe comprising an air inlet end connected with the top airpassage and an air outlet end for supplying air to the storagecompartment, wherein the air guiding pipe is bent downwards to the airoutlet end after horizontally extending for a predetermined length fromthe air inlet end to form an air outlet opening downwards, such that therefrigeration air flowing into the top air passage from therefrigeration air passage is blown downwards in a concentrated manner tothe local area of the storage compartment under the air inlet of the airguiding pipe via the air guiding pipe.

Optionally, the refrigerator further comprises an air supply deviceconfigured to cause air flow to enter the air guiding pipe via the topair passage.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a control method of a refrigerator, the refrigeratorcomprising: a storage compartment, a local air passage and arefrigeration air passage, wherein the refrigeration air passage isconfigured to supply refrigeration air to the storage compartment andthe local air passage, and the local air passage is configured to blowthe received refrigeration air to a local area of the storagecompartment in a concentrated manner. In particular, the methodcomprises: an instruction receiving step of receiving a local area quickrefrigeration instruction; and an action performing step of closing anair path between an air inlet of the refrigeration air passage and oneor more refrigeration air outlets of the refrigeration air passageconnected to the storage compartment, and opening an air path betweenthe air inlet of the refrigeration air passage and the local airpassage, such that all the refrigeration air entering the refrigerationair passage is supplied to the local area of the storage compartment viathe local air passage.

Optionally, the action performing step further comprises: closinganother refrigeration air passage between the air inlet of the coolingchamber of the refrigerator and another storage compartment of therefrigerator, opening a general refrigeration air passage of therefrigeration air passage and opening an air supply device of therefrigerator.

Using the refrigerator and the control method thereof of this invention,as the refrigerator includes a local air passage, refrigeration air fromthe refrigeration air passage can be blown to the local area of thestorage compartment, the local area of the storage compartment can becooled quickly, and the articles put therein can be cooled quickly.

Further, using the refrigerator and the control method thereof of thisinvention, as the refrigerator includes an air passage switching device,all the refrigeration output in the refrigerator can be blown to acertain area in a concentrated manner, so that food placed in that areasuch as beverages, water, meat or the like can be cooled quickly,achieving good preservation and freshness-retaining effects for food andmeeting users' demand for prompt use.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the inventionwill be understood by those skilled in the art more clearly withreference to the detailed description of the embodiments of thisinvention below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The followings will describe some embodiments of this invention indetail in an exemplary rather than restrictive manner with reference tothe accompanying drawings. The same reference signs in the drawingsrepresent the same or similar parts. Those skilled in the art shallunderstand that these drawings are only schematic ones of thisinvention, and may not be necessarily drawn according to the scales. Inthe drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a refrigerator according to anembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic local view of a refrigerator according to anembodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic left view of a refrigerator according to anembodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow chart showing a control method of arefrigerator according to an embodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a refrigerator 100 according to anembodiment of this invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the embodiment of thisinvention provides a refrigerator 100. The refrigerator 100 maytypically comprise a storage compartment 11 for storing food, arefrigeration air passage 20 for providing and/or supplyingrefrigeration air to the storage compartment 11, and a door 14 forclosing the storage compartment 11. The refrigeration air passage 20 maycomprise one or more refrigeration air outlets 111 directly connectedwith the storage compartment 11 such that a part or all of therefrigeration air in the refrigeration air passage is blown to thestorage compartment via the one or more refrigeration air outlets 111.In particular, the refrigerator 100 may further comprise a local airpassage 30 configured to receive refrigeration air from therefrigeration air passage 20 and blow the received refrigeration air toa local area of the storage compartment 11 in a concentrated manner, sothat the articles 92 placed in that local area of the storagecompartment 11 can be cooled quickly, achieving good freshness-retainingeffect and meeting users' demand for use.

In some embodiments of this invention, the local air passage 30 maycomprise a top air passage 31 and an air guiding pipe 32. The top airpassage 31 may be provided at a top wall of the storage compartment 11and connected with the refrigeration air passage 20 to receiverefrigeration air therefrom. The air guiding pipe 32 comprises an airinlet end connected with the top air passage 31 and an air outlet endfor supplying air to the storage compartment 11. Preferably, the airguiding pipe 32 is bent downwards to the air outlet end afterhorizontally extending for a predetermined length from the air inlet endto form an air outlet opening downwards, such that the refrigeration airflowing into the top air passage 31 from the refrigeration air passage20 is blown downwards in a concentrated manner to the local area of thestorage compartment 11 under the air inlet of the air guiding pipe 32via the air guiding pipe 32. In some alternative embodiments of thisinvention, the local air passage 30 may be realized by other airpassages, such as a side air passage installed at a side wall of therefrigerator 100 for blowing the refrigeration air from therefrigeration air passage 20 to the local area of the storagecompartment 11 in a concentrated manner.

To improve the air supply efficiency or the quick refrigerationefficiency, the refrigerator in the embodiments of this invention mayfurther comprise an air supply device 50 configured to cause air flow toenter the air guiding pipe 32 via the top air passage 31, so that therefrigeration air flowing into the top air passage 31 from therefrigeration air passage 20 is blown downwards in a concentrated mannervia the air guiding pipe 32, and the articles 92 in the area under theair outlet of the air guiding pipe 32 are cooled quickly.

In further embodiments of this invention, the air guiding pipe 32comprises an air inlet end connected with the air outlet of the top airpassage 31, and the air supply device 50 is provided inside the top airpassage 31 and/or the air guiding pipe 32. For example, the air supplydevice 50 may be realized as a centrifugal impeller or an axial fanprovided at the air outlet of the top air passage 31. In even furtherembodiments of this invention, the air inlet of the air supply device 50communicates with and is connected to the air outlet of the top airpassage 31, and the air outlet of the air supply device 50 communicateswith and is connected to the air inlet of the air guiding pipe 32. Forexample, the air supply device 50 may be a centrifugal fan.

In some embodiments of this invention, as shown in FIG. 2, therefrigeration air passage 20 may be arranged at a rear wall of thestorage compartment 11. The refrigeration air passage 20 may comprise ageneral refrigeration air passage 21 and connects a first branch 22between the general refrigeration air passage 21 and the one or morerefrigeration air outlets 111 and a second branch 23 between the generalrefrigeration air passage 21 and the local air passage 30.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the top air passage 31 may extendlongitudinally. A rear end face of the top air passage 31 may beprovided with an air inlet connected with the refrigeration air passage20, and a front end face thereof may be provided with an air outlet forsupplying air to the air guiding pipe 32. For example, the refrigerator100 may comprise a top air passage cover plate mounted at an innersurface of the top wall of the storage compartment 11 to form the topair passage 31. The top air passage cover plate may comprise a coverplate portion and a projecting web portion projecting downwards andlocated at the front end of the cover plate portion, and the air supplydevice 50 may be provided inside the projecting web portion. Toreasonably arrange the space inside the storage compartment 11, the topair passage 31 may be arranged in a corner at the top of the storagecompartment 11, which extends longitudinally.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the horizontal portion of the air guidingpipe 32 may extend transversely. An air outlet of the air guiding pipe32 faces a vertical downside direction, and may be provided at thetransverse center of the storage compartment 11, so that the user canconveniently place articles requiring quick refrigeration. In thisembodiment, the air supply device 50 is a centrifugal fan or acentrifugal impeller, and is configured to suck refrigeration airflowing into the top air passage 31 from the top of the top air passageand horizontally blow at least part of the refrigeration air to the airguiding pipe 32.

In some preferred embodiments of this invention, the refrigerator mayfurther comprise an air passage switching device 80 configured tocontrollably close or open an air path between an air inlet of therefrigeration air passage 20 and the local air passage 30 and an airpath between the air inlet of the refrigeration air passage 20 and theone or more refrigeration air outlets 111, such that when the air pathbetween the air inlet of the refrigeration air passage 20 and the one ormore refrigeration air outlets 111 is closed, all the refrigeration airentering the refrigeration air passage 20 is supplied to the local areavia the local air passage 30.

For example, in some embodiments, the air passage switching device 80comprises: a first air door 81 configured to controllably close or openthe general refrigeration air passage 21; and a second air door 82configured to controllably open the second branch 23 when closing thefirst branch 22 and open the first branch 22 when closing the secondbranch 23. Specifically, the first air door 81 may be arranged at theair inlet of the general refrigeration air passage 21 to control theopening and closing of the general refrigeration air passage 21. Thesecond air door 82 may be arranged at the air inlet of the first andsecond branches 22, 23 to close the second branch 23 when opening thefirst branch 22 and close the first branch 22 when opening the secondbranch 23. When supplying air in a concentrated manner, the air supplydevice 50, the first air door 81 and the second air door 82 may bestarted/opened at the same time, so that all the refrigeration air isblown downwards from the air outlet of the air guiding pipe 32. In somealternative embodiments, the air passage switching device 80 maycomprise two independently working doors arranged at the respective airinlets of the first and second branches 22, 23.

In some embodiments of this invention, the refrigerator 100 may furthercomprise a cooling chamber 13, a blower 60, a cooling device 70 and areturn air passage. The cooling chamber 13 is provided with an airoutlet connected with the refrigeration air passage 20. Specifically,the air outlet of the cooling chamber 13 may be connected with thegeneral refrigeration air passage 21. The cooling device 70 may be anevaporator of a compression refrigeration system, and may be arrangedinside the cooling chamber 13 to cool the air passing the coolingchamber. The return air passage connects a lower space of the storagecompartment 11 and the cooling chamber 13. The blower 60 may be arrangedat the air inlet of the cooling chamber 13, and may be configured suchthat a part or all of the air in the storage compartment 11 enters thecooling chamber 13 via the return air passage and enters therefrigeration air passage 20 after being cooled by the cooling device70. That is, the blower 60 provides power for the part or all of the airin the storage compartment 11 of the refrigerator 100 such that the partor all of the air flows out of the storage compartment 11 and enters therefrigeration air passage 20 after being cooled.

In some embodiments of this invention, to facilitate picking and placingof articles, the refrigerator 100 may further comprise a drawer 90 forreceiving the articles 92, such as beef, water melons and beverages. Thedrawer 90 can be operably inserted into the storage compartment 11 andpulled out of the same. In other words, the drawer 90 is installedinside the storage compartment 11. Optionally, a lower part of the rearwall of the drawer 90 comprises ventilation holes, so that the air flowflowing out of the air outlet of the air guiding pipe 32 can easily flowout of the drawer 90 via the ventilation holes of the drawer 90 afterexchanging heat with the articles inside the drawer 90, and enter thereturn air passage for circulation.

In some embodiments of this invention, as shown in FIG. 3, therefrigerator 100 may further comprise another storage compartment 12,which may be arranged blow the storage compartment 11. For example, thestorage compartment 11 may be a refrigeration compartment, and theanother storage compartment 12 may be a freezing compartment. Further, aquick freezing compartment may be provided between the storagecompartment 11 and the another storage compartment 12. The coolingchamber 13 in the embodiments of this invention may be arranged behindthe another storage compartment 12.

In the embodiments of this invention, the refrigerator 100 furthercomprises another refrigeration air passage connecting the air outlet ofthe cooling chamber 13 and the another storage compartment 12, andanother return air passage connecting the another storage compartment 12and the cooling chamber 13. The air passage switching device 80 isfurther configured to controllably close or open the anotherrefrigeration air passage, so that during quick refrigeration, all therefrigeration air flows out of the air outlet of the air guiding pipe32. Specifically, the air passage switching device 80 may furthercomprise a movable air supply hood 83 provided at an outer side of theair outlet of the cooling chamber 13 and configured to provide anopening allowing refrigeration air to flow into the refrigeration airpassage 20 when closing the air outlet of the cooling chamber 13. Thatis, when the movable air supply hood 83 closes the air outlet of thecooling chamber 13, the another refrigeration air passage connected withthe another storage compartment 12 can be closed, so that therefrigeration air passage 20 is not blocked.

The refrigerator 100 of the embodiments of this invention may havemultiple working modes. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the arrows in the figuresrepresent the flow directions of air flow. The multiple working modesmay comprise the following working modes: an independent working mode ofthe storage compartment 11, an independent working mode of the anotherstorage compartment 12, a joint working mode and an accuraterefrigeration mode. In the independent working mode of the storagecompartment 11, the movable air supply hood 83 is closed, the first airdoor 81 is opened, the second air door 82 is connected with the firstbranch 22, the blower 60 works while the air supply device 50 does notwork, so that the storage compartment 11 works independently. In theindependent working mode of the another storage compartment 12, themovable air supply hood 83 is opened, the first air door 81 is closed,the blower 60 works while the air supply device 50 does not work, sothat the another storage compartment 12 works independently. In thejoint working mode, the movable air supply hood 83 is opened, the firstair door 81 is opened, the second air door 82 is connected with thefirst branch 22, the blower 60 works while the air supply device 50 doesnot work, so that the two storage compartments 11, 12 work jointly. Inthe accurate refrigeration mode, the movable air supply hood 83 isclosed, the first air door 81 is opened, the second air door 82 isconnected with the second branch 23, and both the blower 60 and the airsupply device 50 work, so that accurate refrigeration can be performedin a certain area of the storage compartment 11. To prevent excessivetemperature rise in other areas of the storage compartment 11 and in theanother storage compartment 12, after the accurate refrigeration modeoperates for a certain period, the refrigerator automatically exits fromthis mode.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow chart showing a control method of arefrigerator according to an embodiment of this invention. As shown inFIG. 4, an embodiment of this invention further provides a controlmethod of a refrigerator, the refrigerator comprising: a storagecompartment, a local air passage and a refrigeration air passage,wherein the refrigeration air passage is configured to supplyrefrigeration air to the storage compartment and the local air passage,and the local air passage is configured to blow the receivedrefrigeration air to a local area of the storage compartment in aconcentrated manner. The method comprises an instruction receiving stepof receiving a local area quick refrigeration instruction. When a userputs an article requiring quick refrigeration, such as a bottle of CocaCola, in the storage compartment of the refrigerator, the user may pressa quick refrigeration key/a touch key, so that the refrigerator receivesa local area quick refrigeration instruction. The method furthercomprises an action performing step of closing an air path between anair inlet of the refrigeration air passage and one or more refrigerationair outlets of the refrigeration air passage connected to the storagecompartment, and opening an air path between the air inlet of therefrigeration air passage and the local air passage, such that all therefrigeration air entering the refrigeration air passage is supplied tothe local area of the storage compartment via the local air passage, andthe article in the local area can be cooled quickly.

In further embodiments of this invention, the action performing step mayfurther comprise closing another refrigeration air passage connectingthe air inlet of the cooling chamber of the refrigerator and anotherstorage compartment of the refrigerator, opening a general refrigerationair passage of the refrigeration air passage and opening an air supplydevice of the refrigerator, so that all the refrigeration air in therefrigerator is used for quick refrigeration. To prevent excessivetemperature rise in other areas of the storage compartment and in theanother storage compartment, the method may further comprise: after apredetermined period passes, closing an air path between the air inletof the refrigeration air passage and the local air passage so that therefrigerator enters other working modes. The control method of theembodiments of this invention may also be applied to the accuraterefrigeration mode of refrigerators.

Although multiple embodiments of this invention have been illustratedand described in detail, those skilled in the art may make variousmodifications and variations to the invention based on the contentdisclosed by this invention or the content derived therefrom withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope ofthis invention should be understood and deemed to include these andother modifications and variations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A refrigerator, comprising: a storagecompartment; a refrigeration air passage configured to supplyrefrigeration air and comprising: a general refrigeration air passage;one or more refrigeration air outlets connected with the storagecompartment such that a part or all of the refrigeration air in thegeneral refrigeration air passage is blown to the storage compartmentvia the one or more refrigeration air outlets; a first branch betweenthe general refrigeration air passage and the one or more refrigerationair outlets; and a second branch; a local air passage configured toreceive refrigeration air from the general refrigeration air passage viathe second branch and blow the received refrigeration air to a localarea of the storage compartment; a centrifugal impeller or an axial fanor a centrifugal fan configured in the local air passage; a coolingchamber provided with an air outlet connected with the refrigeration airpassage; a blower configured to cause air flow enter the generalrefrigeration air passage from the cooling chamber; one or more secondair doors configured to controllably close or open an air path betweenan air inlet of the general refrigeration air passage and the local airpassage and an air path between the air inlet of the generalrefrigeration air passage and the one or more refrigeration air outlets,such that when the air path between the air inlet of the generalrefrigeration air passage and the one or more refrigeration air outletsis closed, all the refrigeration air entering the general refrigerationair passage is supplied to the local area via the local air passage; acooling device provided in the cooling chamber to cool the air passingthe cooling chamber, wherein the air enters the general refrigerationair passage after being cooled by the cooling device; and a blowerprovided at the air outlet of the cooling chamber; another storagecompartment; another refrigeration air passage connecting the air outletof the cooling chamber and the another storage compartment; anotherreturn air passage connecting the another storage compartment and thecooling chamber; a movable air supply hood configured to controllablyclose or open the another refrigeration air passage.
 2. The refrigeratorof claim 1, further comprising: a first air door configured tocontrollably close or open the general refrigeration air passage; theone or more second air doors configured to controllably open the secondbranch when closing the first branch and open the first branch whenclosing the second branch; and the movable air supply hood provided atan outer side of the air outlet of the cooling chamber and configured toprovide an opening allowing refrigeration air to flow into therefrigeration air passage when closing the air outlet of the coolingchamber.
 3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the local air passagecomprises: a top air passage provided at a top wall of the storagecompartment and connected with the refrigeration air passage to receiverefrigeration air therefrom; and an air guiding pipe comprising an airinlet end connected with the top air passage and an air outlet end forsupplying air to the storage compartment, wherein the air guiding pipeis bent downwards to the air outlet end after horizontally extending fora predetermined length from the air inlet end to form an air outletopening downwards, such that the refrigeration air flowing into the topair passage from the refrigeration air passage is blown downwards to thelocal area of the storage compartment under the air inlet of the airguiding pipe via the air guiding pipe.
 4. The refrigerator of claim 3,wherein the centrifugal impeller or the axial fan or the centrifugal fanis configured to cause air flow to enter the air guiding pipe via thetop air passage.
 5. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the top airpassage extends longitudinally forward, and a rear end of the top airpassage is provided with an air inlet connected with the second branch,and a front end of the top air passage is provided with an air outletfor supplying air to the air guiding pipe; the horizontal portion of theair guiding pipe extends transversely from the air outlet of the top airpassage.